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Home My WebLink About12-12-22-SWS'It ,-ARQEN HILLS Request for Special City Council Work Session A special meeting may be called by the Mayor or by any two Councilmembers. Reason for meeting: 1. Agenda Items A. County Road E and Old Snelling Intersection Improvements Discussion 2. Council/Staff Comments Adjourn Requested Date: 12/12/2022 Requested time: Immediately Following Regular City Council Open meeting X Closed meeting Signature of person(s) making request: i Mayor or Council Member Council Member 12/08/2022 Date Date -This section to be completed by City staff - Date received: 12/08/2022 Date meeting to be held: 12/12/2022 Time of meeting: Immediately Following Regular City Council Location: City Hall All necessary posting and notices have been completed. Signature of City Clerk 12/08//2022 Date City of Arden Hills • 1245 West Highway 96 • Arden Hills Minnesota 55112 Phone 651.792.7800 • Fax 651.634.5137 • www.cityofardenhills.org 'It R II�)EN�HILLS Approved: December 19, 2022 CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION DECEMBER 12, 2022 ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING REGULAR CITY COUNCIL CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, Mayor Grant called to order the Special City Council Work Session at 8:25 p.m. Present: Mayor David Grant; Councilmembers Brenda Holden, Fran Holmes, Steve Scott and David Radziej Absent: None Also present: City Administrator Dave Perrault; Public Works Director/City Engineer David Swearingen; Finance Director Gayle Bauman; and Assistant to the City Administrator/City Clerk Julie Hanson 1. AGENDA ITEMS A. County Road E and Old Snelling Intersection Improvements Discussion Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen provided the City Council with an update on the proposed improvements for the County Road E and Old Snelling intersection. He stated staff was looking for the City Council to provide direction on this item in order for staff to potentially bring this item back to the City Council on December 19 for formal approval. Mayor Grant reported the City Council could provide staff with direction or preferences. Councilmember Holden stated she supported this item being considered by the new City Council in January of 2023. Councilmember Scott commented in talking to the residents there was a fair amount of support for the roundabout, while the residents that live in the immediate area opposed. He believed the proposed roundabout made sense from a safety standpoint and would keep traffic flowing. He stated he supported the project moving forward. Councilmember Holmes expressed concern with the fact the cost for this project increased by over $600,000 and this was not included in the 2023 budget. She asked how the increased project expense would be covered. City Administrator Perrault stated the increased expense would be covered by the PIR Fund. ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — DECEMBER 12, 2022 2 Councilmember Holden questioned how the increased cost of this project would impact the City's ability to complete other projects. City Administrator Perrault discussed the amount of funding that would be provided to the City through MSA funding through 2032 noting all of this funding was accounted for. He explained in 2033, the City would have a positive MSA balance going forward. Councilmember Holmes asked what that positive balance would be in 2033. City Administrator Perrault stated this balance would be approximately $310,000 less the $35,550 still due the City. Finance Director Bauman reported the only project that was not included in the MSA projections was the Mounds View High School trail. She commented further on how an advance in 2024 would impact the PIR Fund. Further discussion ensued regarding the MSA street improvement projects that were planned for 2023 through 2033. Councilmember Holden stated if the roundabout was not completed, the City would have approximately $1 million in additional MSA funds available for projects. Finance Director Bauman reported the City would have money building in the MSA fund by 2028. Councilmember Radziej asked if it was better for the City to use money on hand or to bond for these projects. City Administrator Perrault stated if the City Council were to pay cash, the City would not have to pay interest on the project and the City was not assuming debt. However, if the project were to be bonded, it is paid for over time by the residents actually using the roundabout. Finance Director Bauman reported bonding would allow MSA funds to accrue and these MSA dollars could be used to assist with paying back the bonds issued for the project. Councilmember Holden indicated there was not a lot of traffic at this intersection and questioned if this was really necessary at this location. Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen explained this was why two different ICE studies were completed and both pointed towards having a roundabout versus keeping this a four stop intersection. He indicated 20 years from now, projections show that this intersection would be better served by a roundabout. Councilmember Holden questioned why the trail was not included in this project. Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen reported the proposed design does set up for future construction on Lake Johanna Boulevard. ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — DECEMBER 12, 2022 3 Councilmember Holmes anticipated once TCAAP develops this intersection would become more busy. She stated because this was such a large expense, she supported the new City Council making a decision on this improvement project. Councilmember Holden indicated there were a lot of residents that were very upset about this project and how they would be impacted by the roundabout construction. She stated she was concerned with how the adjacent neighbors would be able to get out of their driveways if a roundabout were constructed. Councilmember Radziej reported he did not support the roundabout initially. He stated if this project were to move forward, he suggested the project be bonded. Mayor Grant commented the proposed cost increase has pushed this project over the top. Councilmember Holden questioned how the project costs could have come in so wrong for the County. Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen stated the roundabout would change the way Lindey's uses their parking lot which leads to the extra expense. He discussed how delivery trucks make drop offs at Lindey's currently versus how they would make drop offs with a roundabout. The parking lot would have to be redesigned to handle trucking over the entire pavement and the ADA parking stalls would have to move. Because these changes are due to the project, the City and County per Ramsey County's policy, would split the costs 50150. He reported the estimated amounts given by Ramsey County were a worst case scenario and noted the City would only pay for actual construction expenses. Councilmember Holmes asked what would happen if the City Council took action on this item in January sometime instead of December 19. Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen reported the engineering consultant was at a standstill with the design until they receive clear direction that the project was moving forward. He explained Ramsey County was waiting to see if they should continue with expenses. Mayor Grant questioned what would happen if the project were delayed to 2024. Councilmember Radziej anticipated the project would have to be redesigned because standards change so much from year to year. Councilmember Scott encouraged the City Council to consider what the cost of waiting would be, as project costs may continue to rise. Mayor Grant supported the next City Council weighing in on this project. Councilmember Radziej stated he supported this recommendation. Councilmember Holden and Councilmember Holmes agreed the project should be addressed by the new City Council. ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — DECEMBER 12, 2022 4 Councilmember Holmes questioned how Ramsey County would respond if the City asked the County to put this project on hold for one year. Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen stated Ramsey County could choose to scrap the project if it was put on hold for one year. Councilmember Holden discussed how important this intersection would be to the new residents that would be living within the TCAAP development, which meant Ramsey County would have to address this intersection in the near future. Councilmember Scott reiterated there was a water line that had to be replaced under this intersection. Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen reported this was indeed the case. Councilmember Holden anticipated the City would be receiving State bonding to assist with replacing the water line. Councilmember Radziej inquired if the City would receive a bill if Ramsey County walked away from this project. Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen stated he did not believe this would be the case because the City did not have a legal agreement with Ramsey County for this project. Councilmember Holden noted the cost for this project when up by almost 50%. Councilmember Holmes understood this to be the case and stated she would support the new City Council addressing this matter in January of 2023. Councilmember Radziej suggested the City require Ramsey County to complete the trail as part of this project. Mayor Grant supported this recommendation and he appreciated the fact the future City Council could potentially be discussing this matter on January 3, 2022. He said he would call for a special work session and noted the new City Council could discuss both this roundabout and TCAAP. 2. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND STAFF UPDATES None. ADJOURN Mayor Grant adjourned the Special City Council Work Session at 9:09 p.m. Julie son David Grant City rk Mayor